Methods for implementation of data formats on a removable disk drive storage system

ABSTRACT

An archiving system including one or more removable disk drives embedded in removable disk cartridges, referred to simply as removable disk drives. The removable disk drives allow for expandability and replacement such that the archiving system need not be duplicated to add new or more storage capacity. In embodiments, the removable disk drives store metadata that contain information about the data stored on the removable disk drive. The metadata allows the system to retrieve the correct data from the random access memory and establishes controls on the data stored on the removable disk drive. In embodiments, the metadata is stored in two locations, such that, if the metadata in one location is corrupted, the second copy of the metadata may be retrieved.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation and claims the benefit of co-pending,commonly assigned U.S. Patent Application No. 60/959,056, entitled“METHODS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF DATA FORMATS ON A REMOVABLE DISK DRIVESTORAGE SYSTEM”, filed on Jul. 10, 2007, the entire disclosure of whichis herein incorporated by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the disclosure generally relate to storage systems and,more specifically, but not by way of limitation, to archiving storagesystems.

An archiving storage system is used by one or more applications orapplication servers to store data for longer periods of time, forexample, one year. Governments and other organizations often require thestorage of certain types of data for long periods. For example, theSecurities and Exchange Commission (SEC) may require retention offinancial records for three or more months. Thus, entities that have tomeet these storage requirements employ archiving systems to store thedata to a media allowing for long-term storage.

Generally, organizations store data over a period of time in severalsessions. As data is stored, the data previously written may becomeobsolete. During a subsequent retrieval, the new data is retrievedrather than the older data. To retrieve the new data, storage systemsgenerally store data sequentially and look for the last write locationto retrieve the data. However, sequential storage prohibits the use ofbetter, more efficient media and prohibits the use of other types ofstorage methods.

It is in view of these and other considerations not mentioned hereinthat the embodiments of the present disclosure were envisioned.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a unique and novelarchiving system. Embodiments include an archiving system havingremovable hard disk drives embedded in removable disk cartridges and arereferred to simply as removable disk drives. The removable disk drivesallow for expandability and replacement such that the archiving systemneed not be duplicated to add new or more storage capacity. Further, theremovable disk drives provide advantages in speed and data accessbecause, in embodiments, the data is stored and retrieved by randomaccess rather than sequential access. In embodiments, the removable diskdrives store metadata that contain information about the data stored onthe removable disk drive. The metadata allows the system to retrieve thecorrect data from the random access memory and establishes controls onthe data stored on the removable disk drive. In embodiments, themetadata is stored in two locations, such that, if the metadata in onelocation is corrupted, the second copy of the metadata may be retrieved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments of the present disclosure are described in conjunctionwith the appended figures:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a removable cartridgestorage system;

FIG. 2 is a hardware block diagram of an embodiment of an archivingsystem including one or more removable cartridge storage systems;

FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of an archivingsystem;

FIG. 4 is a hardware block diagram of an embodiment of a modular drivebay having two or more removable disk drives;

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of an embodiment of a modular drivebay;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an embodiment of information elementsstored in a removable disk drive;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of a method for storingmetadata on a removable disk drive; and

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of retrieving metadata from aremovable disk drive.

In the appended figures, similar components and/or features may have thesame reference label. Further, various components of the same type maybe distinguished by following the reference label by a dash and a secondlabel that distinguishes among the similar components. If only the firstreference label is used in the specification, the description isapplicable to any one of the similar components having the same firstreference label irrespective of the second reference label.

DESCRIPTION

The ensuing description provides exemplary embodiment(s) only and is notintended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of thepossible embodiments. Rather, the ensuing description of the exemplaryembodiment(s) will provide those skilled in the art with an enablingdescription for implementing an exemplary embodiment. It beingunderstood that various changes may be made in the function andarrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe possible embodiments as set forth in the appended claims.

An embodiment of a removable disk system 100 to provide long-termarchival data storage is shown in FIG. 1. A removable disk drive 102provides storage capability for the removable disk system 100. Inembodiments, the removable disk drive 102 includes a data cartridge case108 and an embedded memory 104, which may be an embedded hard disk drive(HDD), solid state disk (SSD), solid state drive, or flash memory. TheHDD or flash memory 104 provides a random access memory for storage ofarchived data.

The embedded memory 104is in communication with and/or electricallyconnected to a connector 106. In one embodiment, the connector is aSerial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) connector. In otherembodiments, the connector is a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connector,parallel connector, Firewire connector, or other connector. Both theembedded memory 104 and connector 106 are, in embodiments, physicallyattached to the data cartridge case 108, and, in some embodiments,enclosed, protected, connected or integrated by the data cartridge case108. In other embodiments, the embedded memory 104 and the connector 106are a physically integrated component and the connector 106 protrudesfrom the data cartridge case 108. The data cartridge case 108, inembodiments, provides a solid container for the embedded memory 104 thatalso functions as an easily swappable case when interchanging removabledisk drives 102 in the removable disk system 100.

The embedded memory 104, in embodiments, is not physically destroyedeasily and is reusable if the data in the memory is removed, erased,altered, or changed. For example, the removable disk drive 102 is a harddrive that includes a magnetic media. If the data on the magnetic mediais to be physically destroyed, the magnetic media would need to beremoved and destroyed in an industrial shredder or other device thatphysically destroys the media. However, the data on the hard drive maybe altered allowing the hard drive memory to be reused without allowingthe data to be retrieved. Thus, data may be stored in random locations(rather than sequential locations) that are documented, such that, theremovable disk system 100 retrieves the data from the correct locations.

In embodiments, the removable disk system 100 contains a drive port 110that includes one or more data cartridge ports 112, each with a datacartridge connector 114 to receive the removable disk drive 102. Thedata cartridge connector 114 mates with the electrical connector 106 ofthe removable disk drive 102 to provide an electrical connection to theremovable disk drive 102 and/or to communicate with the embedded memory104 in the removable disk drive 102. As with the electrical connector106, the data cartridge connector 114 may be a SATA connector or anothertype of connector. Regardless, the data cartridge connector 114 and theelectrical connector 106 can be physically and/or electricallyconnected.

The data cartridge port 112 allows the data cartridge case 108 of theremovable disk drive 102 to be easily inserted and removed as necessary.In embodiments, the drive port 110 includes two or more data cartridgeports 112 to allow for the use, control and communication with two ormore removable disk drives 102. Each drive port 110, in embodiments, isseparately addressable to allow for customized control over eachremovable disk drive 102 connected to each data cartridge port 112.Thus, as removable disk drives 102 are replaced, the same controls canbe applied to the newly inserted removable disk drives 102 because thedrive port 110 is addressed instead of the removable disk drives 102.

The embedded memory 104 may be read and used by the firmware 116 of thedrive port 110. The firmware 116 may be hardware and/or softwareresident in the drive port 110 for controlling the removable disk drive102. In embodiments, the firmware 116 contains the necessary softwareand/or hardware to power-up the removable disk drive 102, spin-up thedisk platters in the embedded memory 104, read and write to the embeddedmemory 104, read, write and process metadata, etc. For example, thefirmware 116 could read the embedded memory 104 to identify theremovable disk drive 102 and gather information related to its contents.

In embodiments, the removable disk system 100 operates to receive one ormore removable disk drives 102 in the one or more drive ports 110. Theelectrical connector 106 physically connects or couples with the datacartridge connector 114 to form an electrical connection that allows thedrive port 110 to communicate with the embedded memory 104. The firmware116 powers-up the embedded memory 104 and begins any initializationprocesses (e.g., security processes, identification processes, readingand/or writing, etc.). The drive port 110, which, in embodiments, is incommunication with a network, receives archival data from one or moreservers, applications, or other devices or systems on the network. Thefirmware 116 writes the archival data to the embedded memory 104 of theremovable disk drive 102 to archive the data.

An embodiment of the hardware architecture of an archiving system 200 isshown in FIG. 2. The archiving system 200, in embodiments, comprises anetwork storage system 202 in communication with one or more systems viaa network 204. In embodiments, the systems that communicate with thenetwork storage system 202 comprise applications, application servers,other servers, peripherals, other devices and other systems that archivedata on the network storage system 202. For example, application server1 206 and/or application server 2 208 store archival data on the networkstorage system 202. An application server 206 or 208 may be anapplication, peripheral device, system, network component, or othersoftware function or hardware device that may store archived data.Hereinafter, all functions, systems, processes, hardware devices thatmay store archived data will be referred to as an application orapplication server. Application server 1 206 and application server 2208 will hereinafter be used to describe the functions of the archivingsystem 200 but are not meant to limit the description to the exemplaryembodiments set forth herein.

The network storage system 202 comprises one or more components that maybe encompassed in a single physical structure or be comprised ofdiscrete components. In embodiments, the network storage system 202includes an archiving system appliance 210 and one or more removabledisk drives 224 connected or in communication with a drive port 222. Inalternative embodiments, a modular drive bay 212 and/or 214 includes twoor more drive ports 222 that can each connect with a removable diskdrive 224. Thus, the modular drive bays 212 and 214 provide addedstorage capacity because more than one removable disk drive 224 can beinserted and accessed using the same archiving system appliance 210.Further, each drive port 222 in the modular drive bays 212 and 214 are,in embodiments, separately addressable allowing the archiving systemappliance 210 to configure the removable disk drives 224 in the modulardrive bays 212 and 214 into groups of one or more removable disk drives224. Two or more modular drive bays 212 and 214, in embodiments, areincluded in the network storage system 202, as evidenced by the ellipses218. Thus, as more data storage capacity is required, more modular drivebays 212 or 214 may be added to the network storage system 202.

The exemplary hardware architecture in FIG. 2 provides near limitlesscapacity as more removable disk drives 224 can be added to existingmodular drive bays 212 or 214 until the modular drive bays 212 and 214hold all possible removable disk drives 224. Then, more modular drivebays 212 and 214 are added to the network storage system 202. Further,removable disk drives 224 may be replaced as the removable disk drives224 near their storage capacity. The removed disk drives 224, inembodiments, are physically stored if and until the data on theremovable disk drives 224 needs to be retrieved. If the data on theremovable disk drive 224 needs to be retrieved, the removable disk drive224 may be inserted into one of the drive ports 222 of the modular drivebay 212 or 214, and the information retrieved from the connectedremovable disk drive 224.

The archiving system appliance 210, in embodiments, is a serveroperating as a file system. The archiving system appliance 210 may beany type of computing system having a processor and memory and operableto complete the functions described herein. An example of a server thatmay be used in the embodiments described herein is the PowerEdge™ 2950Server offered by Dell Incorporated of Austin, Tex. The file systemexecuting on the server may be any type of file system, such as the NTFile System (NTFS), that can complete the functions described herein.

In embodiments, the two or more modular drive bays 212 and/or 214,having each one or more inserted removable disk drives 224, form aremovable disk array (RDA) 232. The archiving system appliance 210 canconfigure the RDA 232 into one or more independent file systems. Eachapplication server 206 or 208 requiring archiving of data may beprovided a view of the RDA 232 as one or more independent file systems.In embodiments, the archiving system appliance 210 logically partitionsthe RDA 232 and logically associates one or more drive ports 222 witheach application layer partition. Thus, the one or more removable diskdrives 224 comprising the application layer partition appear as anindependent file system.

In further embodiments, the archiving system appliance 210 provides aninterface for application server 1 206 and application server 2 208 thatallows the application servers 206 and 208 to communicate archival datato the archiving system appliance 210. The archiving system appliance210, in embodiments, determines where and how to store the data to oneor more removable disk drives 224. For example, the application server 1206 stores archival data in a first application layer drive, such as,the first three removable disk drives. The application layer partitionsare, in embodiments, presented to the application servers 206 and 208 asapplication layer drives where write and read permissions for any oneapplication layer drive is specific to one of the application servers.As such, the network storage system 202 provides a multiple andindependent file system to each application server 206 and 208 using thesame hardware architecture. In embodiments, the archival data is alsoreferred to as an information element and may include, but is notlimited to, a file, a memory sector, a data structure, a table, or othertype or format of data.

In alternative embodiments, the network storage system 202 alsocomprises a fixed storage 216. The fixed storage 216 may be any type ofmemory or storage media either internal to the archiving systemappliance 210 or configured as a discrete system. For example, the fixedstorage 216 is a Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID), such asthe Xtore XJ-SA12-316R-B from AIC of Taiwan. The fixed storage 216provides an active archive for storing certain data for a short periodof time where the data may be more easily accessed. In embodiments, thearchiving system appliance 210 copies archival data to both the fixedstorage 216 and the removable disk drive 224. If the data is needed inthe short term, the archiving system appliance 210 retrieves the datafrom the fixed storage 216.

The archiving system appliance 210 can also configure the active archivein the fixed storage 216 into one or more independent file systems, aswith the RDA 232. As explained above, each application server may beprovided a view of one of two or more independent file systems. Eachindependent file system may comprise an application layer partition inthe RDA 232 and a related application layer partition in the fixedstorage 216. In embodiments, the archiving system appliance 210partitions the fixed storage 216 and associates each application layerpartition in the fixed storage 216 with an associated application layerpartition in the RDA 232.

As explained above, the archiving system appliance 210, in embodiments,determines where and how to store the data to one or more removable diskdrives 224. For example, the application server 1 206 stores archivaldata in a first application layer drive, which may include storing thearchival data in the application layer partition in the fixed storage216 for easier access to the archival data. Again, the application layerdrives are, in embodiments, presented to the application servers 206 and208 where write and read permissions for any one application layer driveis specific to one of the application servers. As such, the networkstorage system 202 provides a multiple and independent file system toeach application server 206 and 208 using the same hardwarearchitecture.

In operation, application server 1 206 stores primary data into aprimary storage 228, which may be a local disk drive or other memory.After some predetermined event, the application server 1 206 reads theprimary data from the primary storage 228, packages the data in a formatfor transport over the network 204 and sends the archival data to thenetwork storage system 202 to be archived. The archiving systemappliance 210 receives the archival data and determines where thearchival data should be stored. The archival data, in embodiments, isthen sent to the related application layer partitions in both the fixedstorage 216 and the RDA 232, which may comprise one or more of theremovable disk drives 224 in one or more of the drive ports 222. Thearchival data is written to the removable disk drive 224 for long-termstorage and is written to the fixed storage 216 for short-term,easy-access storage. In further embodiments, application server 2 208writes primary data to a primary storage 230 and also sends archivaldata to the network storage system 202. In some embodiments, thearchival data from application server 2 208 is stored to a differentremovable disk drive 224 and a different portion of the fixed storage216 because the archival data from application server 2 208 relates to adifferent application and, thus, a different application layerpartition.

A block diagram of an archiving system 300 is shown in FIG. 3. Thearchiving system 300 has one or more functional components that, inembodiments, includes a network storage system 302 in communication witha network 304. The network 304 may be any type of communicationinfrastructure, for example, one or more of, but not limited to, awide-area network (WAN), local area network (LAN), wireless LAN, theInternet, etc. The network storage system 302 may communicate with oneor more other systems coupled to, connected to or in communication withthe network 304. For example, the network storage system 302communicates with an application server 306. Communications betweensystems on the network 304 may occur by any protocol or format, forexample, Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), etc.

The network storage system 302, in embodiments, comprises one or morefunctional components embodied in hardware and/or software. In oneembodiment, the network storage system 302 comprises an archiving system312 in communication with one or more (as represented by ellipses 323)drive ports 322 that are in communication with one or more (asrepresented by ellipses 325) removable disk drives 324. The drive ports322 and removable disk drives 324 are similar in function to thosedescribed in conjunction with FIG. 1. The archiving system 312 controlsthe function of the one or more drive ports 322 and writes the archiveddata to one or more predetermined removable disk drives 324 in the oneor more drive ports 322.

In further embodiments, the network storage system 302 comprises anarchival management system 310. The archival management system 310receives data for archiving from one or more systems on the network 304.Further, the archival management system 310 determines to which systemor removable disk drive 324 the data should be archived, in which formatthe data should be saved, and how to provide security for the networkstorage system 302. In embodiments, the archival management system 310provides a partitioned archive such that the network storage system 302appears to be an independent file system to each separate applicationserver 306, yet maintains the archive for multiple application servers306. Thus, the archival management system 310 manages the networkstorage system 302 as multiple, independent file systems for one or moreapplication servers 306. In embodiments, the archival management system310 and the archiving system 312 are functional components of thearchiving system appliance 210 (FIG. 2).

In embodiments, the archival management system 310 saves archival datato both the archiving system 312 and an active archive 314. The activearchive 314, in embodiments, controls, reads from and writes to one ormore (as represented by ellipses 317) fixed storage devices 316 thatallow easier access to archived data. In embodiments, fixed storage 316is similar in function to fixed storage 216 (FIG. 2). The active archive314 performs similar functions to the archiving system 312 but for thefixed storage devices 316. In embodiments, the active archive 314 andthe fixed storage devices 316 are components of the hardware fixedstorage system 216 (FIG. 2). In alternative embodiments, the activearchive 314 partitions the fixed storage 316 to mirror the associatedapplication layer partitions in the RDA 320. The application layerpartition(s) in the active archive 314 may have boundaries associatedwith memory addresses in the fixed storage 316.

The archival management system 310 may also provide an intelligentstorage capability. Each type of data sent to the network storage system302 may have different requirements and controls. For example, certainorganizations, such as the SEC, Food and Drug Administration (FDA),European Union, etc., have different requirements for how certain datais archived. The SEC may require financial information to be kept forseven (7) years while the FDA may require clinical trial data to be keptfor thirty (30) years. Data storage requirements may includeimmutability (the requirement that data not be overwritten), encryption,a predetermined data format, retention period (how long the data willremain archived), etc. The archival management system 310 can applycontrols to different portions of the RDA 320 and the active archive 314according to user-established data storage requirements. In oneembodiment, the archival management system 310 creates application layerpartitions in the archive that span one or more removable disk drives324 and one or more portions of the fixed storage 316. All data to bestored in any one application layer partition can have the samerequirements and controls. Thus, requirements for data storage areapplied to different drive ports 222 (FIG. 2) in the modular drive bays212 and 214 (FIG. 2) and to the removable disk drives 224 (FIG. 2)stored in those drive ports 222 (FIG. 2). Further, the requirements arelikewise applied to different portions of the fixed storage 316 in theactive archive 314. If a removable disk drive is replaced, the samestorage requirements, in embodiments, are applied to the replacementremovable disk drive 324 because of its location in the controlled driveport 322. As such, the archival management system 310 can individuallymaintain separate sets of data using different controls, even indifferent removable disk drives 324.

The network storage system 302 may also comprise a database 318 incommunication with the archival management system 310. The database 318is, in embodiments, a memory for storing information related to the databeing archived. The database 318 may include HDDs, ROM, RAM or othermemory either internal to the network storage system 302 and/or thearchival management system 310 or separate as a discrete componentaddressable by the archival management system 310. The informationstored in the database 318, in embodiments, includes one or more of, butis not limited to, data identification, application serveridentification, time of storage, removable disk drive identification,data format, encryption keys, application layer partition organization,etc.

The network 304, in embodiments, connects, couples, or otherwise allowscommunications between one or more other systems and the network storagesystem 302. For example, the application server 306 is connected to thenetwork storage system 302 via the network 304. The application server306 may be a software application, for example, an email softwareprogram, a hardware device, or other network component or system. Theapplication server 306, in embodiments, communicates with a memory thatfunctions as the application server's primary storage 308. The primarystorage 308 is, in embodiments, a HDD, RAM, ROM, or other memory eitherlocal to the application server 306 or in a separate location that isaddressable.

In embodiments, the application server 306 stores information to theprimary storage 308. After some predetermined event, such as theexpiration of some period of time, the application server 306 sends datato the network storage system 302 to archive the data. The applicationserver 306 may send the data by any network protocol, such as TCP/IP,HTTP, etc., over the network 304 to the network storage system 302. Thedata is received at the archival management system 310. The archivalmanagement system 310, in embodiments, sends the data to one or both ofthe active archive 314 and/or the archiving system 312 to be archived.

Embodiments of the hardware/firmware 400 of the modular drive bay 212and 214 (FIG. 2) is shown in FIG. 4. In embodiments, thehardware/firmware 400 is the same or similar to hardware/firmware 116explained in conjunction with FIG. 1. The hardware/firmware 400, inembodiments, comprises a first interface (interface #1) 406, a processor402, a memory 404, and a second interface (interface #2) 408. Inembodiments, the first interface 406 receives archival data from thehost 410 for storage in a removable disk drive 412 and/or sends archiveddata from the removable disk drive 412 to the host 410. Removable diskdrive 412 is, in embodiments, the same or similar to removable diskdrive 102 described in conjunction with FIG. 1. The first interface 406can be any type of interface operable to communicate with the host 410.In embodiments, the host 410 is the archiving system appliance 210 (FIG.2) and/or archiving system 312 (FIG. 3). The first interface 406 can bea Firewire, USB, SATA, or other interface.

The processor 402 is operable to execute software or firmware stored inmemory 404 for storing or retrieving archival data from the removabledisk drive 412. The processor 402, in embodiments, is any processorknown in the art for executing the functions described herein. Forexample, the processor 402 is an Intel Pentium, ASIC, FPGA, or otherdevice. The processor 402 interfaces with the first interface 406 toreceive archival data for storage and sends data to the host 410. Theprocessor 402 further interfaces with the second interface 408 to senddata to the removable disk drive 412 and to read data from the removabledisk drive 412. The memory 404 may be any type of memory including, butnot limited to, RAM, ROM, a disk drive, etc. The memory may store dataor metadata and interfaces with the processor 402.

In embodiments, the second interface 408 retrieves archival data fromthe removable disk drive 412 to send to the host 410 and sends archivaldata to the removable disk drive 412 for storage. The second interface408 can be any type of interface operable to communicate with theremovable disk drive 412. The second interface 408 can be a Firewire,USB, SATA, or other interface.

A functional block diagram of an embodiment of the hardware/firmware 500of the modular drive bay is shown in FIG. 5. In embodiments, thehardware/firmware 500 is the same or similar to hardware/firmware 116explained in conjunction with FIG. 1 or hardware/firmware 400 describedin conjunction with FIG. 4. In embodiments, the hardware/firmware 500represents software executed in the hardware/firmware 400 (FIG. 4). Thehardware/firmware 500, in embodiments, comprises an interface selectionmodule 508, an access control module 502, a metadata datastore 504, acommand pass-through module 506, and/or a disk drive interface 510.

In embodiments, the interface selection module 508 receives requestsfrom the host 512 to store or retrieve archival data. The host 512 maysend the requests with a predetermined address for the archival data.The interface selection module 508 can extract the address received fromthe host 512 to which to store or retrieve the archival data. Thisaddress is, in embodiments, provided to the access control module 502.

The access control module 502 is operable to read metadata from themetadata datastore 504. The access control module 502, in embodiments,builds the metadata datastore 504 by reading the metadata from one ormore removable disk drives 514 and storing the metadata in a table orother data structure in the metadata datastore 504. In embodiments, themetadata datastore 504 provides a first available block address to storedata in a removable disk drive 514. The first available block addresscan be used by the access control module 502 to determine where to beginto store or retrieve data. The access control module 502 can be executedwithin the processor 402 (FIG. 4).

In embodiments, the command pass-through module 506 sends the commandsto the removable disk drive 514. For example, if the request from thehost 512 is for a read of data, the command pass-through module 506executes a read on the removable disk drive 514. The requested commandsent from the host 512 may be in one format or comply with the protocolof one file system. The command pass-through module 506 may change thecommand to a command understandable by the removable disk drive 514. Infurther embodiments, the access control module 502 provides the commandpass-through module 506 with the first available block address to ensurethe command pass-through module 506 stores data at the correct addressin the removable disk drive 514.

The disk drive interface 510, in embodiments, is a disk drive driver orother software that allows the command pass-through module 506 tointerface with the removable disk drive 514. Thus, the disk driveinterface 510 may convert commands for the removable disk drive 514.

An embodiment of an archive 600 stored in a removable disk drive, suchas removable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5), having archival data and one ormore portions of metadata is shown in FIG. 6. In embodiments, thearchive 600 is a representation of the memory in the removable diskdrive. In the example presented in FIG. 6, there is archival data 602that may have one or more portions that represent files or “informationelements” stored in an archive 600. There may be more files than thatshown in the exemplary archive 600. File data 602 can include thearchived data sent from the application server 306 (FIG. 3). The filedata 602 may not be overwritten or is immutable. Immutability means thatthe data, once written to a removable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5), is neverreplaced even if the data is updated. Rather, a new, revised copy isstored and the pointers to the data are realigned to point to the newcopy of the data. In some embodiments, the file data 602 is protected bya write once read many (WORM) control that does not allow rewritingdata. In other embodiments, file data 602 is just written to the nextavailable logical block address on the removable drive without writingover previously saved data—no control necessarily forces this writeprocedure.

In embodiments, an archive structure 600 may comprise one or moreportions of metadata. The metadata 604 and 606, in embodiments, includesthe information or attributes about the data 602. For example, themetadata 604 and 606 may include one or more of the following, but isnot limited to, the file size, file location, file save date and time,file creation date and time, file creator, etc. The metadata 604 and606, in embodiments, is stored in two duplicate regions 604 and 606. Afirst portion of metadata is stored in a first area 604, while thesecond portion of metadata (which is a copy of the first portion ofmetadata) is stored in a second area 606. If the first set of metadata604 is corrupted, the hardware/firmware 116 (FIG. 1) can fail-over tothe second set of metadata 606. The metadata 604, in embodiments,includes a stored checksum. If a calculated checksum is not the same asthe stored checksum, the metadata is known to be corrupted. In otherembodiments, a checksum from the first portion of metadata 604 iscompared to a checksum of the second portion of metadata 606 todetermine if the metadata is corrupted.

In embodiments, the first area 604 and the second area 606 are apredetermined number of logical blocks that are reserved for themetadata. Thus, the first area 604 and the second area 606 may containmetadata in a first portion of the available logical blocks while nodata is written to a second portion of the available logical blocks. Asmetadata is updated, the unused portion of the available logical blocksmay be used.

In an embodiment, the metadata 604 includes a root metadata section 608that has one or more portions of the metadata. The root metadata 608 mayinclude metadata that remains permanent, for example, the disk driveidentifier. The root metadata 608 also includes a link or pointer to aportion of linked metadata 610. Linked metadata 610, in embodiments,includes one or more items of data that may be updated. For example, ifdata within the data field 602 is updated, the linked metadata 610 mayinclude the new address for the data. The new address in the linkedmetadata 610 would replace the original address in the root metadata608. If another change is made to the data, one or more other linkedmetadata sections, such as linked metadata 612, can be created.

The metadata 604 may have the root metadata 608 stored beginning at afirst logical block address 614. The linked metadata 610 and/or 612 isthen stored in subsequent logical blocks. For metadata 606, the rootmetadata 608 is stored at a maximum logical block address 616. Eachsubsequent linked metadata 610 and 612 is then stored in precedinglogical blocks. Thus, metadata 606, embodiments, appears as a mirrorimage of metadata 604.

An embodiment of a method 700 for storing data onto a removable diskdrive in an archiving system is shown in FIG. 7. In embodiments, themethod 700 generally begins with a START operation 702 and terminateswith an END operation 716. The steps shown in the method 700 may beexecuted in a computer system as a set of computer-executableinstructions. While a logical order is shown in FIG. 7, the steps shownor described can, in some circumstances, be executed in a differentorder than presented herein.

Provide operation 704 provides a drive. In embodiments, a removable diskdrive 102 (FIG. 1) is inserted into a drive port 110 (FIG. 1) of a RDA232. The removable disk drive 102 (FIG. 1) may be placed in the driveport 110 (FIG. 1) by a user or operator. The step of providing the diskdrive 102 (FIG. 1) also includes all steps for initiating the disk drive102 (FIG. 1) for use.

Determine operation 706 determines if the drive is empty. The archivingsystem 312 (FIG. 3) of the archiving system appliance 210 (FIG. 2)determines if the disk drive is new or has been used previously. Inembodiments, the removable disk drive 102 (FIG. 1) is new if theremovable disk drive 102 (FIG. 1) has no data stored upon it. The accesscontrol module 502 (FIG. 5) can determine if the removable disk drive514 (FIG. 5) is empty. If the removable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5) isempty, the method 700 flows YES to create operation 707. If theremovable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5) is not empty, the method 700 flows NOto receive operation 708.

Create operation 707 creates the root metadata. In embodiments, theaccess control module 502 (FIG. 5) creates the root metadata 608 (FIG.6). The root metadata 608 may include at least one of, but is notlimited to, cartridge authentication data, write protection controls,read protection controls, cartridge manufacturing data, location andsize of user data partitions, format controls, cartridge information(serial number, manufacturer, etc.), usage information, or controlinformation (error correction controls, compression, encryption, etc.).The access control module 502 (FIG. 5) may receive one or more of themetadata items from the archiving system 312 (FIG. 3). The accesscontrol module 502 (FIG. 5), in embodiments, stores the root metadata608 (FIG. 6). In one embodiment, the access control module 502 (FIG. 5)stores duplicate copies of the root metadata 608 (FIG. 6) on the diskdrive, a first copy is stored starting at a first logical block address614 (FIG. 6) and a second copy is stored starting at a maximum logicalblock address 616 (FIG. 6).

Receive operation 708 receives data. In embodiments, the archivingsystem appliance 210 (FIG. 2) receives data from an application server306 (FIG. 3). The data, in embodiments, is sent from the archivalmanagement system 310 (FIG. 3) to be stored in one or removable diskdrive 324 (FIG. 3) by the archiving system 312 (FIG. 3). The archivingsystem 312 (FIG. 3) may then send the data to interface #1 406 (FIG. 4)for the processor 402 (FIG. 4) to store in the removable disk drive 412(FIG. 4). The access control module 502 (FIG. 5) of the processor 402(FIG. 4) can extract the metadata 604 (FIG. 6) from the removable diskdrive 514 (FIG. 5). A location for the data is determined using themetadata 604 (FIG. 6). For example, the data is stored at the nextavailable logical address block.

Store operation 710 stores the received data. The access control module502 (FIG. 5), in embodiments, sends the data and a store command to thecommand pass-through module 506 (FIG. 5) that translates the command andsends the data to the removable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5). The disk driveinterface 510 (FIG. 5) stores the data on the removable disk drive 514(FIG. 5).

Create operation 712 creates linked metadata. Access control module 502(FIG. 5), in embodiments, creates new linked metadata. The linkedmetadata 610 (FIG. 6) can include the data identification and thelocation of the data on the disk drive. In further embodiments, thelinked metadata 610 (FIG. 6) also includes a storage location providedto the host 512 (FIG. 5) that is associated with the actual physicallocation of the data.

Store operation 714 stores the linked metadata. The access controlmodule 502 (FIG. 5), in embodiments, sends the new linked metadata 610(FIG. 6) and a store command to the command pass-through module 506(FIG. 5) that translates the command and sends the linked metadata 610(FIG. 6) to the removable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5). The disk driveinterface 510 (FIG. 5) stores the linked metadata 610 (FIG. 6) on theremovable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5) in the next available area in thereserved area 604 (FIG. 6) of the removable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5) forthe metadata. In further embodiments, the disk drive interface 510 (FIG.5) also stores a second copy of linked metadata 610 (FIG. 6) on theremovable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5) in the next available area in thesecond reserved area 606 (FIG. 6) of the removable disk drive 514 (FIG.5).

An embodiment of a method 800 for reading data from a removable diskdrive in an archiving system is shown in FIG. 8. In embodiments, themethod 800 generally begins with a START operation 802 and terminateswith an END operation 814. The steps shown in the method 800 may beexecuted in a computer system as a set of computer-executableinstructions. While a logical order is shown in FIG. 8, the steps shownor described can, in some circumstances, be executed in a differentorder than presented herein.

Receive operation 804 receives a request for data. In embodiments, thearchiving system appliance 210 (FIG. 2) receives the request from anapplication server 306 (FIG. 3). The request, in embodiments, is sentfrom the archival management system 310 (FIG. 3) to the archiving system312 (FIG. 3) to retrieve the data from one or more removable disk drives324 (FIG. 3). The archiving system 312 (FIG. 3) may then send therequest to interface #1 406 (FIG. 4) for the processor 402 (FIG. 4) toretrieve the requested data from the removable disk drive 412 (FIG. 4).

Extract operation 806 extracts an address from the request. Inembodiments, the access control module 502 (FIG. 5) of the processor 402(FIG. 4) can extract an address from the received request. For example,the request gives a location for the file in the retrieve request.

Read operation 808 reads metadata. The access control module 502 (FIG.5) can read the metadata 604 (FIG. 6) from the removable disk drive 514(FIG. 5). The metadata 604 (FIG. 6) may be temporarily stored in themetadata datastore 504 (FIG. 5).

Determine operation 809 determines if the metadata is corrupted. Inembodiments, the access control module 502 (FIG. 5) determines if achecksum calculated for the metadata 604 is the same as a checksumstored in metadata 604. If the checksums compare, the metadata 604 isnot corrupted and the method 800 flows NO to correlate operation.

Retrieve operation 810 retrieves the second copy of metadata. Inembodiments, the access control module 502 (FIG. 5) retrieves and readsthe second copy of metadata 606.

Correlate operation 811 correlates the extracted address with a physicallocation for the data in the removable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5). Inembodiments, the access control module 502 (FIG. 5) determines thephysical location for the requested data by associating the extractedaddress with a related address in the metadata 604 or 606 (FIG. 6). Themetadata 604 or 606 (FIG. 6), in embodiments, has a table relatingphysical locations with addresses provided to the host 512 (FIG. 5).

Read operation 812 reads the data. The access control module 502 (FIG.5), in embodiments, sends the read request to the command pass-throughmodule 506 (FIG. 5) that translates the command and reads the data fromthe removable disk drive. The disk drive interface 510 (FIG. 5)retrieves the data on the removable disk drive 514 (FIG. 5).

In light of the above description, a number of advantages of the presentdisclosure are readily apparent. For example, the media, which may be anHDD or other random access and reusable media may be used in a mannerthat mimics sequential write access that prevents data from beingoverwritten. As such, the network storage system can maintain the mediawhile still effectively protecting older copies of the data. Further,the network storage system can also ensure that data cannot be deleted.Still further, metadata may be maintained for the data on the mediawithout allowing older metadata to be overwritten. Finally, metadata isprotected from corruption by storing two copies of metadata on theremovable disk drives.

Specific details are given in the description to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments may be practicedwithout these specific details. For example, circuits may be shown inblock diagrams in order not to obscure the embodiments in unnecessarydetail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms,structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail inorder to avoid obscuring the embodiments. A computing system may be usedto execute any of the tasks or operations described herein. Inembodiments, a computing system includes memory and a processor and isoperable to execute computer-executable instructions stored on acomputer readable medium that define processes or operations describedherein.

Also, it is noted that the embodiments may be described as a processwhich is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, astructure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describethe operations as a sequential process, many of the operations can beperformed in parallel or concurrently. In addition, the order of theoperations may be re-arranged. A process is terminated when itsoperations are completed, but could have additional steps not includedin the figure. A process may correspond to a method, a function, aprocedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process correspondsto a function, its termination corresponds to a return of the functionto the calling function or the main function.

Moreover, as disclosed herein, the term “storage medium” may representone or more devices for storing data, including ROM, RAM, magnetic RAM,core memory, magnetic disk storage mediums, optical storage mediums,flash memory devices and/or other machine-readable mediums for storinginformation. The term “machine-readable medium” includes, but is notlimited to portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices,wireless channels and various other mediums capable of storing,containing or carrying instruction(s) and/or data.

Furthermore, embodiments may be implemented by hardware, software,firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or anycombination thereof. When implemented in software, firmware, middlewareor microcode, the program code or code segments to perform the necessarytasks may be stored in a machine-readable medium such as a storagemedium. A processor(s) may perform the necessary tasks. A code segmentmay represent a procedure, a function, a subprogram, a program, aroutine, a subroutine, a module, an object, a software package, a class,or any combination of instructions, data structures, or programstatements. A code segment may be coupled to another code segment or ahardware circuit by passing and/or receiving information, data,arguments, parameters, or memory contents. Information, arguments,parameters, data, etc., may be passed, forwarded, or transmitted via anysuitable means including memory sharing, message passing, token passing,network transmission, etc.

While the principles of the disclosure have been described above inconnection with specific apparatuses and methods, it is to be clearlyunderstood that this description is made only by way of example and notas limitation on the scope of the disclosure.

1. A modular drive bay in a network storage system for archiving data,the modular drive bay comprising: one or more removable disk drives, theone or more removable disk drives operable to store archival data, theone or more removable disk drives operable to maintain data asimmutable, each removable disk drive comprising: a data cartridge case;a connector; an embedded memory, the embedded memory physically attachedto the data cartridge case, the embedded memory electrically connectedto the connector, the embedded memory operable to store archival data,the embedded memory operable to ensure that archival data cannot beoverwritten; a modular drive bay, the modular drive bay comprising: twoor more drive ports, each drive port including a data cartridgeconnector which mates with the connector to communicate with theembedded memory; and a hardware/firmware, the hardware/firmware incommunication with one or more application servers, thehardware/firmware receiving write requests associated with archival datafrom the one or more application servers, the hardware/firmware operableto store metadata in the embedded memory to allow for access to thearchival data in the embedded memory.
 2. The modular drive bay asdefined in claim 1, wherein the hardware/firmware comprises: a firstinterface, the first interface operable to receive the write requestfrom the host; a second interface, the second interface operable to sendthe write request to the one or more removable disk drives at anaddress; a memory, the memory operable to store one or more items ofmetadata, at least one item of metadata providing a pointer to the firstunused memory block; and a processor in communication with the firstinterface, the second interface, and the memory, the processor operableto associate the address with the pointer and to generate the writecommand sent to the one or more removable disk drives.
 3. The modulardrive bay as defined in claim 2, wherein the processor includesexecutable software modules, the software modules comprising: aninterface selection module, the interface selection module receiving thewrite request; a metadata datastore, the metadata datastore storing oneor more items of metadata read from the one or more removable diskdrives, the metadata including the pointer; and an access control modulein communication with the interface selection module and the metadatadatastore, the access control module receiving the write request, theaccess control module determining the address associated with thepointer for the first unused data block, the access control modulegenerating a write command addressed to the address associated with thepointer.
 4. The modular drive bay as defined in claim 3, furthercomprising a command pass-through module in communication with theaccess control module, the command pass-through module receiving theaddress and executing the write request at the address.
 5. The modulardrive bay as defined in claim 4, wherein the command pass-through moduleis operable to write two or more data blocks to the embedded memory andwherein the command pass-through writes the two or more data blockssequentially in an order received by the interface selection module. 6.The modular drive bay as defined in claim 4, wherein the commandpass-through module is operable to write two or more data blocks to theembedded memory, wherein the access control module is operable todetermine if one or more of the data blocks received is an update to oneor more data blocks already stored in the embedded memory, and wherein,if one or more of the data blocks are an update, the commandpass-through module is operable to write the updated data blocks to oneor more unused memory blocks in the embedded memory and to update themetadata to point to the updated data blocks.
 7. The modular drive bayas defined in claim 2, wherein the network storage system cannot accessthe hardware/firmware that controls writing of the one or more datablocks.
 8. An archive in an embedded memory of a removable disk drive ofan archiving system, the embedded memory storing immutable data, thearchive comprising: one or more data blocks, the one or more data blockscomprising data stored in the embedded memory, the one or more datablocks providing data to the archiving system if accessed by randomaccess and read, the one or more data blocks containing immutable data;one or more unused memory blocks, the one or more unused memory blocksaccepting archival data when written to by the archiving system; androot metadata, root metadata including static data about one ofcharacteristics about the removable disk drive, characteristics aboutthe embedded memory, or characteristics about the data blocks, the rootmetadata also including a pointer to at least one linked metadata; andlinked metadata, the linked metadata including a pointer, the pointerassociated with an address of the first unused memory block that canaccept archival data, the pointer preventing the archiving system fromwriting to the one or more data blocks that precede the pointer, thelinked metadata also including a metadata pointer to a new linkedmetadata section.
 9. The archive as defined in claim 8, wherein newlinked metadata is stored in the new linked metadata section after asubsequent write session, and the metadata pointer in the linkedmetadata then points to the new linked metadata.
 10. The archive asdefined in claim 8, wherein the one or more data blocks are written insequential order in an order received by the archiving system andwherein a new linked metadata is stored after each data block iswritten.
 11. The archive as defined in claim 8, wherein one or more datablocks are reorganized by the archiving system and stored in a writesession and wherein new linked metadata is stored after the writesession.
 12. The archive as defined in claim 8, further comprising asecond section of metadata stored at a maximum block address, the secondsection of metadata having the same metadata as the root metadata andthe linked metadata.
 13. The archive as defined in claim 12, wherein ifthe root metadata or the linked metadata is corrupted, retrieving themetadata from the second section of metadata.
 14. The archive as definedin claim 13, wherein the root metadata and the linked metadata arecompared to the second section of metadata to determine if the rootmetadata or the linked metadata is corrupted.
 15. A method, executablein a computer system, for retrieving data in an embedded memory of aremovable disk drive, the method comprising: receiving a read requestfor one or more data blocks; reading metadata from the embedded memory;determining, from the metadata, a pointer to a first data block for theone or more data blocks in the embedded memory; and reading the one ormore data blocks starting at the pointer in the embedded memory.
 16. Themethod as defined in claim 15, wherein the one or more data blocks areread sequentially.
 17. The method as defined in claim 15, furthercomprising: extracting an address for the one or more data blocks fromthe read request; and correlating the address to the pointer in themetadata.
 18. The method as defined in claim 15, further comprising:determining a last data block; and reading the data to the last datablock.
 19. The method as defined in claim 18, wherein determining thepointer comprises: reading a root metadata to determine a pointer to alinked metadata; reading the pointer from the linked metadata.
 20. Themethod as defined in claim 19, wherein the linked metadata includes asecond pointer to a new linked metadata and the pointer is read from thenew linked metadata.